


When the Carnival Came to Town

by GuestPlease



Category: Natasha Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812 - Malloy
Genre: F/F, I have never actually been to a carnival but that is Not Important, modern american au, no they're not carnies, there's a carnival in town
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-16
Updated: 2017-07-16
Packaged: 2018-12-03 00:08:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 658
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11520399
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GuestPlease/pseuds/GuestPlease
Summary: Marya is waiting at the Carnival to talk to a certain recent divorcee.





	When the Carnival Came to Town

**Author's Note:**

  * For [thepinballer](https://archiveofourown.org/users/thepinballer/gifts).



It's another summer day in the small American town. 

The major difference was that there was a carnival that day. People flooded in from all over town-- Anatole Kuragin was spotted dragging Fyodor Dolokhov to the balloon dart games several times in hope of a plush animal, Natasha Rostova went on so many roller coasters that she apparently puked into a trashcan while Sonya held her hair, the wild taxi driver Balaga almost started a food eating contest, even town recluses like Nicholas Bolkonsky and his daughter Mary, as well as Pierre Bezukhov were seen there. (Of course Andrei Bolkonsky could well have been the catalyst for all three of them leaving the house.) 

What was odd was that one of the most popular people in town, the recently divorced socialite Helene Bezukhov wasn't there. 

It wasn't like Marya was looking or anything. 

Marya was at the carnival in case Natasha or Sonya needed anything (water, money, a ride to and fro as neither had a permanent license and the day that Marya let them carpool with Nicholas Bolkonsky or Anatole Kuragin was the day she died), or so she told anyone who asked. She  _may_ have been there to talk to a certain person now that they were single, but that was completely and utterly beside the point. People she knew passed her by several times, and Marya became resigned to the fact that Helene was not at the carnival. 

"You're incredibly hard to find, you know that?" Someone said, before sitting down on the same bench as Marya. Marya looked up, and Helene made a horrid sucking sound with her enormous drink cup.   
"So are you." Marya smiled. "I followed the scouts rule-- get lost, and someone will come looking for you."   
Helene nearly choked on her absurdly large soft drink. "I did the same thing at the other end of the park." 

Marya burst out laughing. "Well, thank God you're not as stubborn as me!"   
Helene grinned. "I often do, actually. So..."   
"So..." Marya repeated.   
Helene fiddled with her drink, looking away from Marya. "How have you been?" 

Marya sighed inwardly. "Good. My old friend Ilya sent his daughter and niece to me for the summer. They're nice girls."   
Helene nodded a bit too quickly. "That's nice. I... well, you know. Everyone knows."   
"That's what you get for marrying out of high school." Marya sniped.   
Helene playfully punched her shoulder. "Don't be rude. Well, at least not to me. Be rude to Pierre if you want." 

"Pierre's an old friend of mine." Marya pointed out.   
"And what am I?" Helene asked.   
Marya sighed, leaning back against the hastily constructed and terribly built bench. "I don't know."   
Helene leaned back as well, looking at Marya and hurriedly looking away when Marya turned her head. "You never married." 

Marya started laughing. "It's a small town. There aren't that many lesbians around my age."   
Helene shrugged. "I mean, I'm bi, so that doesn't matter." Silence fell between them for a moment, then Helene spoke again. "Listen, I... regret the way things ended between us before. I always have. And... I still love you. You don't have to say anything about it, you don't have to reciprocate, just stay quiet and I'll go."   
Marya was quiet for a minute, and Helene rose. Marya caught her wrist. "You have no idea how long I've waited to hear you say that." 

She pulled Helene into a gentle kiss, and could feel Helene's lips upturn into a smile.   
"Asshole." Helene laughed. "Guess I deserve that, though."   
Marya grinned. "Kind of. Let's... take it slow this time, alright?"   
"Of course. I'm in no hurry to get married again quickly." Then Helene grinned, matching Marya's expression. "I knew you still loved me." 

Marya rolled her eyes fondly. "Let's go find the girls, I need to introduce you."   
"Meeting the family already?" Helene linked her arm with Marya's. "Well by all rights, let's find them." 


End file.
